With the booming of capitalism and industry starting in the 19th century, people became increasingly obsessed with earthly goods and were excited about everything new and shiny that the future would hold. In these images, the past fades to the left and the future unfolds to the right.

 

Disregard for the environment and other species continued to escalate as people repeatedly prioritized profit over ethics while developing technology. We are in the 11th hour. There’s still time to make changes and avoid a catastrophic outcome.

 

The hopeful lilies are starting to decay indicating inevitable mortality. The silk and velvet were expensive materials, available to the richest members of society and symbolizing vanity. The watch and hourglass indicate the transience and limitation of time. Mature fruit meant fertility and wealth due to abundance allowing fruit to rot. Different fruits have different connotations and grapes were the fall of man. The snuffed-out candle is the loss of the human soul while the medical objects are there to remind us of the ways our bodies can fail us. The empty glass symbolizes death and in general, glass connotes fragility.

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